Buying 26X

[marsanden]

Goodmorning, I am thinkin about buying a 1998 mac gregor 26X. How do you judge this boat in the sea, and your impressions under sailing. I read lots of comments under power, only a few under sailing. I would like to know if the mac gregor 26X its a powerboat able to sail in light wind too, or it is a real sailboat able to sail with 20 -30 Knots of wind and sea waves?

Do you think the 1998 could be a good mac gregor or is better to buy a newest model cause of the improvements were made on it? And, last but not least, if you can suggest me what to observe with greater ugly attention in order to avoid surprises.

Thanks a lot
Marco



(search terms: pros & cons, vintage, comparo, comparison, change list)

[Divecoz]

As with the purchase of anything used, look for the general overall condition. Look with an eye to detail concerning stains inside and or sitting water . I have only owned my boat for a little over a year, but have been reading here for a bit longer. What have I found to date?
Basically these are strong little boats that seem over-all well built and suited for what they were designed for.
I. .. would use a bit more caution on an over powered boat for many obvious reasons .
Mac's are not race boats but 2 weeks ago I saw an X in the middle of a Regatta Race in Port Charlotte and that meant many were behind him , also many seemed to be ahead as well. Your not going to make a race boat out of a Mac or any cruiser for that matter. It was evident in that race the low sleek little too no cabin boats were creaming the cruiser's. I might add from what I could see the cruisers were having fun and fun IS what's its all about IMHO.
X over M its all about needs wants desires . I would never put ANY of my hard earned money on either boat to win a race , it seems to have a LOT to do with skill in sailing .
So I would look to see what they are offering with the boat your looking at aka Sonar Stove BBQ VHF and the list goes on and on, the more the better so too speak. I will say this I have a 05 M and when I am done ????? I will have about $35K in total in my boat. That BTW is not a lot money for a boat of this size and its abilities to serve .
ONE LAST NOTE . . .IMHO unless your already a sailor be sure and buy "If New" from a sailor NOT a salesman ! Bill on this site helped me a lot ! IF . .your not a sailor you'll need some help learning to sail and salesmen may not be much help at all. Just IMHO

[Lorne Colish]

I had a 1988 26D before the 2002 26X that i have now.It was a good sailing craft particularly in lighter winds (capable of winning races!) It was probably the best of the boats Macgregor built before the powersailors (26X and M).It is a good buy if it is in good condition, if you can live with the tight quarters and the pop top. Mine had a 10HP Honda 4 stroke, which is a very desireable part of the package....plenty of power.

[marsanden]

i would like to know if the mac gregor 26 x its a powerboat able to sail in light wind too, or it is a real sailing boat able to sail with 20 -30 Knots of wind and sea waves .

[Bobby T.-26X #4767]

i would like to know if the mac gregor 26 x its a powerboat able to sail in light wind too, or it is a real sailing boat able to sail with 20 -30 Knots of wind and sea waves .

i consider my X an excellent value "cabin cruiser" that's primary source of propulsion is under power and the secondary means is via sail.
don't misunderstand me, i enjoy sailing very much, but to get from port A to destination B over a three day weekend i power most of the way.
once there (or around the harbor on a Sunday) i put the sails out.
but if your motor ever went out, you can sail home (and not have to call for a tow).

my $.02 is: ensure that your '98 has a reliable outboard motor. if not, consider re-powering with a 4-stroke or new 2-stroke with a 6 year warranty.
if you maintain the X, you will get nearly all of your money back if sold within a 3-4 year period (plus the pleasure of using).

Bob T.
"DaBob"
'02X w/ '04 90-TLDI

[Frank C]

... mac gregor 26 x its a powerboat able to sail in light wind too,
... or it is a real sailing boat able to sail with 20 -30 Knots of wind and sea waves .

Hello Marco.
Others have mentioned this for you already, but maybe different words will help.

• - The 26X is primarily a family weekend cruiser with a fairly large cabin;
  - Lots of cabin volume means lots of freeboard;
  - Lots of freeboard means hull surface that interferes with light wind sailing;
  - Winds of 12 to 18 knots are the most fun for sailing a 26X;
  - Lots of freeboard also means lots of resistance in strong winds;
  - It's also a very light-weight boat for trailering ease;
  - A very light hull means it cannot power through heavy seas under sail alone;
  - In 20kn winds its flat hull form lifts the boat into the wind, causing round ups;
  - Making progress upwind in 20 kn requires some major additions to sail controls;
  - In 30kn winds, you'll likely need motor assist to get through a tack.

We rarely read of members here sailng in really heavy air. Most are sailing on lakes, bays or moderate coastal areas. Probably our UK owners are sailing in the most severe conditions. IMO, the 26X is definitely the wrong boat for sailing heavy seas and 30 knots of wind.
Maybe this will help you to understand the boat.

[James V]

marsanden wrote:

i would like to know if the mac gregor 26 x its a powerboat able to sail in light wind too, or it is a real sailing boat able to sail with 20 -30 Knots of wind and sea waves

Down wind she will hold her own. The more up wind, the worst she will do comparied to a racer. Does not matter the wind speed. This is the problem with any trailerable boat with swin keel or dagger board. Just not enough below water as note above.

It is also a coastal cruiser. Not really sure what you mean when you say "sea waves". There are sailors on this board who sail in 6 foot plus seas all the time in 20+ knots of wind.

The Mac's are VERY good coastal cruisers, cabin, trailerable motor sailors. The people on this board has sailed a lot of different places, Where did you want to go?

What to check, cracks in the transum and water damage and the motor. This is where most of the $$$$ problems are. Other than that, all is small and most easily replaced. Get a survey.

[marsanden]

... mac gregor 26 x its a powerboat able to sail in light wind too,
... or it is a real sailing boat able to sail with 20 -30 Knots of wind and sea waves .

- In 20kn winds its flat hull form lifts the boat into the wind, causing round ups;
- Making progress upwind in 20 kn requires some major additions to sail controls;
- In 30kn winds, you'll likely need motor assist to get through a tack.

In my area (Mediterranean) in most cases the wind is 15-22 knots , (forces 3 - 4 ).
Do u think sailing could be unsafe with a macgregor 26x (I sail for 15 years, by sail)?

Thanks so much for your attention.

[Frank C]

Those conditions are similar to San Francisco, though seas are less severe because we're in a protected area. I enjoy sailing with a forecast of 12 to 18 knots. But a forecast of 18 to 25 knots would keep me at home.

But you have much more sailing experience. When winds reach 22 knots (more likely described as 25 mph here) the 26X won't carry her full sail plan - needs to be fully reefed. If you add some controls like a strong vang and adjustable backstay, you can probably manage the boat "up to" 22 kn, but it's less likely for 22 to 30 knots.

Still, I think the 26X herself is safe enough for a competent skipper. As James observed, you can always sail downwind and then motor back home - and still arrive before you would with a heavier sailboat. Safe enough, but the 26X might just be frustrating for a dedicated sailor. That's the compromise you'll make for having her speed, light weight and cabin comforts.

[James V]

As long as the seas are not sloppy or steep I don't see a problem.

A few thing that you may want to have on hand is extra rudders and steer cable and steer box. You should aslo check the bolt for the swing keel at least yearly and work out an emergancy rudder. At least a 25 hp motor in good repair. Please note that these rarely fail.

There are SO many places that I would like to take my in the Med.

Post pictures!!

[Lorne Colish]

Oops,I thought I read 1988. And I think the overview provided by the more careful readers is all you need to know to decide if the boat is good for you.

[Catigale]

The boat is not made for consistent 30 knot winds/seas imho. While you can 'survive'' these, if you expect to see these conditions regularly you are buying the wrong boat, again, imho.

[James V]

This Mac is -

Click here

[Catigale]

[marsanden]

thanks to your explanations, i understood that mac gregor 26x sails like all sail those that they have the mobile drift, and therefore they should reduce sail before the boats with rigid keel.

I was worried that the pale of the rudders, that seems to myself not enough long, rapidly could go out from the water.

Now i would want to ask to you which are the main points of weakness to monitor on a used boat of 1998.

As with the purchase of any used boat , im goin to look for the general overall condition.

I ask you to indicate to me, thanks to your experience, which are the specific points of weakness for a 1998 mac gregor 26x.

By the way,i'm goin to buy a boat without engine, cause i wanna buy a new one, 4 strokes.

And, about the engine, what is , in your opinion, the best engine to power this boat
Tks in advance,
marco